Valorant's 1st international LAN coming in VCT Masters Stage 2

Olivia Richman Published 01/03/2021

“We’re going international!”

Riot dropped huge news on fans of Valorant’s growing esports scene. The Valorant Champions Tour Stage 2 Masters event will be the first international VCT event in the tactical shooter’s short history. The top 10 teams from around the world will come together to compete in-person in Reykjavik, Iceland on May 24. 

In an official press release regarding the update, Riot stated that the venue will be the Laugardalsholl. Upon arriving in Iceland, teams will quarantine for two weeks. The event will not have a live audience to keep players, staff, and local residents safe. Even though fans will have to watch from afar, this will be the first time fans can see Valorant teams from around the world compete in a LAN setting. 

This comes on the heels of Riot announcing a similar plan for the 2021 Mid-Summer Invitational, which will see top League of Legends teams competing in Reykjavik as well. 

Valorant Champions Tour Stage 2 Masters event details

Teams from around the world will compete in regional Stage 2 Challengers events to qualify for the Masters event in Reykjavik. The offline Stage 2 Masters event will be a “virtually lag-free experience” that Riot stated will be similar to competitive League of Legends. 

Masters Reykjavik is the second major event in the 2021 Valorant Champions Tour. Teams that compete will earn points that help them qualify for the Champions event at the end of the year. Fans will hear more about point distribution for Masters 1 and Masters 2 in the coming weeks. 

At the moment, the VCT is in its Challengers stage, which decides the competitors who will compete in the regional VCT Masters “Stage 1” events. VCT Masters Stage 1 will finalize the top teams in the circuit from each region, with 10 teams earning spots from seven regions. 

Brazil, North America, and the EMEA region will send two teams apiece to VCT Masters Stage 2. Japan, South Korea, Latin America, and Southeast Asia will all send one team each. VCT Masters Stage 2 will be a unique event and will help define what the best region is in Valorant and will cement the top team in the world for the first time.

Olivia Richman

About Olivia Richman

Olivia has worked in media ever since graduating from college, with her coverage ranging from traditional newspaper reporting to digital coverage of all things gaming, online betting, and nerd culture. She has traveled around the world pursuing that coverage, from the far coasts of the United States to the busy downtown core of Tokyo, Japan. Olivia’s favorite games include Overwatch and Super Smash Smash Bros, and she has been published at Esports Illustrated, Inven Global, EsportsInsider, Upcomer, and elsewhere.

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